March 19, 2024

1988: Cyclone Bola

By Anarchist History of New Zealand

Sometimes at this time of year things dry up or catch fire. Other times cyclones strike and we catch flooding the likes of which we had forgotten because of our short memories. Today in history, 7 March, 1988, Cyclone Bola came to New Zealand and hit the North Island. Taranaki and Gisborne in particular. The […]

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March 6, 2024

1842: The Raupo Houses Act

By Anarchist History of New Zealand

Today in history, 3 March, 1842, self-declared Governor of New Zealand, William Hobson, passed the Raupo Houses Act. This placed a huge £20 tax on anyone with a ‘Maori House’ within the boundaries of what The State defined as a town. The Maori fiber house technology had been adopted and improved by the new colonists […]

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March 3, 2024

1976: Final Lyttelton Wellington Ferry

By Anarchist History of New Zealand

Once was a Lyttelton–Wellington ferry service. Run by the Union Steam Ship Company (1895-17 September, 1976) with the final dwindling 2 years bankrolled by The State. Somehow, the Labour 3.0 Ministry thought it was a good idea to pump $4,000,000 a year into a service that had become uneconomical. National 3.0 put an end to […]

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February 20, 2024

1873: When Auckland Took Fright

By Anarchist History of New Zealand

Today in history, 17 February, 1873: The Kaskowiski Hoax was perpetrated on the people of Auckland by the new editor of the Daily Southern Cross newspaper, David Luckie. New Zealand is prone to periodic Russian Scares like this. Two others by 1885 led to significant investments in harbor defense forts like the one (image, left) […]

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February 17, 2024

1840: The Treaty of Poihakena

By Anarchist History of New Zealand

On 18 January 1840, William Hobson, Consul, set of for New Zealand on HMS Herald from Sydney. With him were 6 officials, 3 servants, and 4 troopers of the New South Wales mounted police. Before setting out for New Zealand, Hobson spent much time during the prior twenty-five days closeted with his superior, Governor of […]

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February 15, 2024

2014: Death of Charlotte Dawson

By Anarchist History of New Zealand

Charlotte Dawson was celebrity New Zealander who died aged 47 by committing suicide on 22 February, 2014. As with her very public life, the death resonated through the Kiwi psyche. It was a terrific flame out involving component parts of Social Media, celebrity, women aging, bullying, and national pride. I first met Dawson when she […]

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February 12, 2024

1770: Christmas in Batavia

By Anarchist History of New Zealand

Over 250 years ago now, James Cook and the crew of HMS Endeavour completed the circumnavigation of North Island- demonstrating it is indeed an island. It’s good to know and we South Islanders are still very grateful for it! On 9 February, 1770, an important point had to be proven. That, Nieuw Zeeland, as the Dutch […]

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February 9, 2024

1819: Maori Invasion of Rotuma

By Anarchist History of New Zealand

Rotuma is a small island north of Fiji with its own ethnic identity though part of Fiji. By the 1830s it had become a whaling port so English was widely spoken there. The natives were subject to Tongan invasion and civil wars, especially in the 1870s, which were only coloured by the competing Catholic and […]

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February 5, 2024

1993: Bailey’s 818

By Anarchist History of New Zealand

Christchurch nightclubs Bailey’s 818 (Colombo Street) and Bailey’s Downtown emerged from the 1980s disco, pop, and ‘hair bands’ era in the year 1993. The founder, Anthony Bailey, had a background as a disco DJ and by all accounts (sources, Facebook and Old Friends Archive) knew his trade very well and was well-liked by staff and […]

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January 30, 2024

1848: Brunner’s Fleet

By Anarchist History of New Zealand

Today in New Zealand history, 26 January, 1848, Thomas Brunner set out to explore the Grey River all the way from Mawhera (Greymouth) to Lake Brunner. This was only a sub-expedition for the 27yo man as part of a 550-day expedition. This was Brunner’s second such expedition to Mawhera having been the first white man, […]

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January 26, 2024

1930: Kirwee Colonel

By Anarchist History of New Zealand

Today in Canterbury history, 25 January, 1930, the monument at Kirwee was unveiled. It’s a wonderful and quite unique Art Deco interpretation of Ottoman domed architecture of the sort you wouldn’t expect to see in rural Canterbury. Yet, it’s quite appropriate to associate this 1870s water race and its prime mover: Colonel De Renzie Brett. […]

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January 25, 2024

1890: St Andrews Church of Loburn

By Anarchist History of New Zealand

St Andrew’s Church at Loburn, North Canterbury, was opened on 26 October 1890. It burned to the ground last Friday the 19th of January 2024. The final service in the church was held in December 2006. Ref. Waimakariri Libraries Or, perhaps it was November 2006. Ref. The Press, National Library Loburn itself kicked off in […]

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January 23, 2024